Tel Aviv Diary -August 20-24,2015 - Karen Alkalay-Gut


September 4, 2015

When I heard David Cameron talk about an overall program for the refugees I suddenly fell in love with Great Britain all over again. No other leader has spoken like him. Simple humanity sometimes takes terrible chances.

Maybe this is not the right moment but I have been overwhelmed by the humanity and warmth of friends who have kept away the terrible depression that can overwhelm anyone whose independence and mobility has been taken away. I think my improvement is due to all my friends and relative who are helping me through this.

The big problem has been that my GP has been on vacation since my operation, my blood tests were off the page and I had no one to show them to, and only today did I understand that I got a list of instructions from the hospital (over 2 weeks ago) instructing me to take folic acid and iron (among other things). it means i asked to be taken to the pharmacy, discussed what kind of folic acid to take with Ahmed, the pharmacist, and began taking it immediately. Now that I understand a little more about why I am so weak, I can do something about it. I'll bet I could even find my doctor if I had a little more strength. Sorry - all my blood went from my brain to my hip in the past few weeks.

September 5, 2015

The connection between me and the Syrians wandering through Europe is clear. My parents wandered, waited for years for papers, faced almost certain death again and again in Europe. My mother lost two of my brothers in this wandering.

September 7, 2015

loop

My roommate said I tried to escape
On my last night in the hospital.

I think I remember wandering the halls
Maybe also being led back to bed,

I know
that in the morning when I woke
The rails of my bed were locked.

But it could also be
My roommate
Hit her morphine button
Once too often

And my wonderful nocturnal freedom
was just a figment of her imagination.

i'm beginning to wake up - after three weeks of healing - and i'm beginning to wonder why i have to wake up at all. the world is so confusing and changing that it is much easier to spend my time in physiotherapy.

September 8, 2015

The sand from Syria has turned all of Israel yellow. We are warned to stay inside and it will pass tomorrow. I cannot help but think but all the woes from Syria are in the sand.

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